Som du måske allerede ved satte det engelske parlament sig for for nogle måneder siden, at undersøge spilbranchens praksisser nærmere, og om nogle af strategier der benyttes konstituerede enten hasardspil eller var "predatory" på anden vis.
Det er blandt andet igennem disse høringer at EA forsvarede brugen af Loot Boxes ved at kalde dem "surprise mechanics", men dette lader umiddelbart til at have virket. I hvert fald har den engelske Minister for Digital and the Creative Industries, Margot James, afvist forbindelser imellem Loot Boxes og hasardspil i parlamentet i går (via GamesIndustry),
"I would also contest the assumption that loot boxes are gambling. I don't think the evidence I've read from your committee's hearings would support that assumption either. Loot boxes are a means of people purchasing items, skins, to enhance their gaming experience, not through an expectation of an additional financial reward. And also, more importantly, they can't be traded offline for money. So I think there are big differences, and I don't think really it is true to say loot boxes are gambling."
Dog slog James fast, at hun fortsat er bekymret omkring brugen af denne praksis, og at afvisningen af Loot Boxes som en form hasardspil ikke betyder at de er tilfredse med brugen.
"I didn't say that. If evidence were presented to me that loot boxes are a gateway to problem gambling, then I would be concerned by that. I think that with the gaming community, you're talking about large numbers of young people -- by no means exclusively young, of course. Gaming is a pleasure enjoyed by all age groups. But with particular reference to young people, I think we have to vigilant and if evidence does emerge that loot boxes can be a gateway to problem gambling, then we need to take that seriously and we do need to take some action."
Dog slår James fast, at hun ikke helt mener at bevismaterialet der beviser en sådan forbindelse er til stede endnu.